New Mexico's Top Cross Country Meets to Check out this Fall

Photo by Jaren Brooks

Cleveland Invitational 

Is it really the start to the cross country season if the Cleveland Invitational hasn't taken place? Well this fall we can rejoice as the storm will be kicking things off in the last weekend of August with flat, fast, rust buster meet gathers the majority of the metro and a handful of neighboring towns to show early on who has been getting those summer workouts in and also those that wish they had. 

8/28

Cleveland High School

Rio Rancho, New Mexico 

Alamogordo Invitational

9/9

Alamogordo High School

Alamogordo, New Mexico

Perhaps the first big contest between southern New Mexico schools of the season. Alamogordo has a history of bringing together the big classification teams as a kick-off similar to Cleveland Invite with the ability to produce early season fast times. 

Photo by Jaren Brooks

Rio Rancho Jamboree

9/25

Rio Rancho High School

Rio Rancho, New Mexico

The Rio Rancho Jamboree holds on to the title of "thee" meet to attend during the regular season in New Mexico. The Rams put on an event rare and this year will hopefully look similar to the past. Expect an abundance of schools to attend and although this will not be a precursor to the state championships, it will continue to be the marque race prior to championship action. 

Organ Mountain Rob Winter Classic

9/25

Organ Mountain (formerly Onate)

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Don't get confused by the name, this will be the same Rob Winter Classic of years past. No longer Onate but instead Organ Mountain Knights set to host their classic meet that could be compared to the likes of Rio Rancho Jamboree. This meet gathers all surrounding Las Cruces schools and hosts some teams from across state lines including El Paso Loretto, El Paso's Cornado, Bowie, and Andress schools. This meet has also garnered plenty of sub-16 minute performances for boys and sub-20 minutes for girls. 

Photo by Jaren Brooks

Curtis Williams Invitational

10/2

Gallup High School

Red Rock State Park, New Mexico

Spring 2021 edition of the Curtis Williams Invite took place with a handful of teams to get a strange and ominous season underway. Fast forward to fall 2021, we could see this invitational return to its glory with teams like Zuni, Kirtland Central, and Bloomfield in full force along with some Arizona teams making the trek to compete like Window Rock.

Photo by Jaren Brooks

APS Metro Championships

10/9

Nusenda Community Stadium

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Photo by Jaren Brooks

Pre-State(Academy Invitational)

10/16

ABQ Academy

Albuquerque, New Mexico

This race has seen plenty of alterations in the past five years including adapting from a tune-up to Albuquerque Metro Championships that boasted some great races with metro-area schools inclusion of Los Alamos, Shiprock, Miyamura, and Laguna Acoma. This course has become a favorite by athletes for being fast among competitors along with scenic views and spectator-friendly. This year's edition will play as a precursor to the state championships and the course will be adjusted to accumulate to the new "state" format. 

Bronco Ridge Runner Invitational 

10/22

Kirtland Central High School

Kirtland, New Mexico

Bronco Ridge Runner Invite is a staple among cross country in New Mexico along with perhaps one of the coolest of names for a meet. This Kirtland Central hosted event hosts northern New Mexico schools like Farmington and Piedra Vista along with rivals in Laguna Acoma, Shiprock, Wingate, Miyamura, Crownpoint, Rehoboth Christian, Santa Fe Indian, and company. This is a meet that was missed last spring when some of these teams sat out for safety precautions and we are glad to see them return to the course this fall. 

Los Alamos Invitational

10/22

Los Alamos High School

Los Alamos, New Mexico

Along with the Bronco Ridge Runner, The Los Alamos Invitational will be the last chance to get some high-quality racing in prior to the district meets. The Hilltoppers have traditionally put on quite an event at the town golf course and have brought together teams from up north with a couple of premiere teams like Sue Cleveland Hope Christian and ABQ Academy. We are confident this year's edition will once again live up to being one of those can't miss meets.

Photo by Jaren Brooks

2021 NMAA State Cross Country Championships

11/6

ABQ Academy

Albuquerque, New Mexico 

For the second time in 2021, the NMAA State Cross Country Championships will be held in Albuquerque hosted by the Chargers of ABQ Academy. This edition will optimistically see more teams qualified for the meet as well as a return for those schools that were sidelined with Covid precautions. We will get to see a packed Academy Campus as for now it appears all races will once again be held on a single Saturday with scenic views of Albuquerque as a backdrop to championship action.